About Dee

Dorothea (Dee) Dawkins-Haigler dedicates her life to public service through her role as an ordained minister and pastor, college educator, community activist, and political strategist. Dee served 8 1/2 years as a Georgia State Representative from June 2008 – January 2016.

During her tenure in the Georgia General Assembly she served as Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and Chair of the Georgia Women’s Legislative Caucus. Dee served as the Chaplain for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) and the National Director of Regional Coordinators for the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL Women). She served as a State Director for both Women in Government and the National Council of State Legislators Women’s Network.

Dee is the Owner of DDH & Associates and Executive Director of TIME 1000—an organization dedicated to helping 1000 women and minorities get elected to public office or receive board appointments. She has trained women from Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo on gender issues, health, entrepreneurship, education and running for office.

Dee is the Founder/President of the Organization of World Leaders (OWL) a consortium of leaders in Government, Law, Business, Health, Finance & Politics dedicated to working together to build alliances for economic sustainability and growth in Africa and the diaspora. She is the Founder of One Georgia which is dedicated to bringing together clergy, elected officials, social and civic groups, civil rights organizations and fraternities and sororities for the collective purpose of promoting issues salient to the African American and Hispanic communities with a special emphasis on economic justice and parity. Dee is the Organizer of the Minority Cannibas Coalition (MCC), an organization dedicated to promoting equity and access in the Cannibas Industry.

Dee is an advocate for children and youth with an emphasis placed on those who have been impacted by poverty. This work led her to be appointed to the Juvenile Parole Board for the State of South Carolina by Governor Jim Hodges, where she was the youngest and first African American to serve as Chair of the board. She uses her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (South Carolina State University), Master of Public Administration (Kentucky State University) Master of Divinity (Turner Theological Seminary@ the Interdenominational Theological Center) degrees to bridge the political, public, and religious communities and help them find solutions to eradicating racism, sexism, and classism. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Political Science at Clark Atlanta University. She has a Honorary Doctor of Ministry Degree (American Bible University), a Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Trinity International University of Ambassadors) and a Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (CICA International University & Seminary)

Dee is advocate in the fight against human trafficking, domestic violence and teen dating violence which led her to produce the documentary/drama “Black Girls Die Too: The Back Page Murders” which chronicles the death of 14 Black Women murdered as a result of online human/sex trafficking.

Dee is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. National Council of Negro Women and the Order of Eastern Star. She is a past Regional Officer for Jack and Jill of America and is President of the East Metro Orchids.

Dee resides in Lithonia Georgia. She is married to her college sweetheart Lt. Colonel David Haigler Jr. and they have 4 children Christopher, Christyn, Hannah and Joshua, and 2 grandchildren Amari and Kingston.